QWP chief warns Centre against amending 18th Amendment

PESHAWAR: Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Chairman Aftab Sherpao said on Saturday that it would be detrimental to the federation if the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government tried to amend 18th Amendment or slash share of the provinces in the National Finance Commission (NFC) award.

Speaking at a lunch he hosted for journalists here, he observed that rulers were living in a fool’s paradise to think they could strengthen federation through unconstitutional steps.

QWP provincial chairman Sikandar Sherpao was also present.

Aftab Sherpao argued the federation could be strengthened by giving more autonomy to the federating units.

He said the conflicting views of the ‘selected’ Prime Minister Imran Khan and his ministers on various issues had created confusion among the people.

The stock market crashed due to the wrong policies of the government over the last two months, he added.

Without raising the issue at a proper forum and without approval of all the four provinces, he said the government could not cut the share of provinces in the NFC award.

Before merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said it had been decided to provide Rs100 million annually to Fata for 10 years, but the rulers did not take into consideration the population of the tribal areas.

Aftab Sherpao said the rulers should develop working relations with the opposition to run the affairs of the government smoothly.

He said the government should devise a comprehensive strategy to steer the country out of the prevailing morass. The people had become disenchanted with the government as it lacked direction and a clear policy to address the issues, he added.

“The government is even alienating its allies by taking unconstitutional steps,” he said, adding the government had violated the constitution by taking some unconstitutional steps.

He said the government had created unrest among the people during the last two months as they were not capable to revive the failing economy.

Aftab Sherpao said the government increased the prices of electricity, natural gas and petroleum products and the people were bearing the brunt of the trickle-down effect. He said it seemed the government had already started taking steps to implement the diktats of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to seek its bailout package.

Aftab Sherpao said that depriving the provinces of their shares would deepen the sense of deprivation among the federating units.

The government should have increased the share of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the NFC award after the merger of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with the province, he maintained.

The QWP head added the Pakhtuns were being marginalised and meted out step-motherly treatment.

He said the attitude of the government towards the Pakhtuns was unbecoming.

Welcoming the process of accountability, Sherpao said it should be held across-the-board and not directed against the politicians from the opposition.

About the pledge of the federal government about the 10 million jobs, he said that the Prime Minister could not honour this promise as foreign investment and economic activity were needed for creating jobs.